2025-08-05 20:09:56The school was silent after the storm. Craig was defeated, twitching on the floor, and Lisa—though still shaken—helped Max gather his things. Her concern lingered in her eyes, but Max reassured her with the weakest of smiles. "I'm okay," he said, even though his body felt like it had been borrowed, broken, and returned.
She watched him walk off alone, worried. Max stepped into his dark, dusty home. He walked past the cracked wall and old furniture to a framed picture sitting on the shelf. He gently wiped away the dust with his sleeve, revealing a photo of himself and his mom, both smiling brightly in a sunlit park. He sat down on the couch, exhaling deeply, and looked at the two strange presences floating before him. “You two,” he muttered. “What are you?” The winged creature hovered closer, grinning. “I’m the Grim Ripper,” he said with a bow, his voice laced with pride. “Master of spirits, controller of the dead, dealer of soul-fueled destruction.” Max blinked. “And… the screen?” [I AM THE SYSTEM.] [A LIVING PROGRAM. AN INTERFACE FOR POWER. A GUIDE FOR THE CHOSEN.] Max squinted. “What were you guys doing in a video game then?” [LOOKING FOR A WARRIOR.] The Grim Ripper floated a little higher, crossing his arms. “Both of us came from different dimensions. We’ve got problems, and we need someone who can fight.” “What kind of problems?” Max asked warily. The Grim Ripper’s face darkened. “Someone’s messing with the balance of life and death. They’re stealing souls—people who already passed—and using them like puppets. Dangerous puppets.” [MY MISSION IS TO FIND SOMEONE TO DEFEND AGAINST THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS.] [THEY’VE AWAKENED AGAIN.] Max scratched his head. “Okay… cool lore. But what’s it got to do with me?” The screen glowed. [BECAUSE YOU ARE APEX_MJ.] [THE ONE WHO BRAVED THE VOID. THE SLAYER OF KINGS. THE ONLY LEVEL 99.] Max blushed slightly, looking away. “C-C’mon… that’s just a username.” The Grim Ripper grinned. “You were a legend. And legends attract destiny.” “Okay,” Max muttered. “But… I gotta ask: what exactly do you do?” he pointed at the Grim Ripper. “Oh,” said Grim, smugly. “I grant you the souls of legendary warriors. You can summon their knowledge, their weapons, even their moves. Swordmasters, monks, assassins.” Max's eyes widened. “That’s… OP.” The system flickered slightly. [A SMALL FEATURE. MINE IS BETTER.] The Grim Ripper smirked. “Pick one of us.” Max paused. He looked between them. “Wait. What if… I pick both?” There was silence. [...] [INVALID—WAIT. ACCEPTABLE.] The Grim Ripper tilted his head. “If you do, you’re accepting both of our missions. That’s double the danger.” Max stood, eyes serious. “For the first time in my life… I feel like someone special. Like I matter. I’m in.” The next day… Max left his house with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. He gripped a strange old-fashioned bronze key in his pocket. Flashback: [REWARD GRANTED: FIRST FIGHT WON] [BONUS: +5 ATTRIBUTE POINTS | ITEM: BRONZE SKILL KEY] [USE TO UNLOCK A HIDDEN SKILL FROM YOUR CHOSEN PATH.] “Today’s a good day,” Max muttered to himself. School was quiet. Too quiet. Craig was nowhere to be found. Max didn’t question it. Classes came and went. Max smiled more. No bruises. No snacks run. He even saw Lisa smile when she passed him in the hallway. But as the sun dipped low and school ended, Max saw Craig waiting outside the gate. Craig looked… different. His face serious. Eyes low. “Hey, Max,” he said. Max tensed. “What do you want?” Craig looked away. “To… apologize. I messed up. You didn’t deserve what I did. None of it.” Max’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. “I want to make it up to you,” Craig continued. “There’s this new gaming café. I thought maybe… we could play a few rounds. Just… chill.” Max blinked. This guy had stomped his face yesterday. And now… gaming? Was the world ending? “I—uh—yeah, sure. I guess,” Max said cautiously, smiling a little. They walked together, talking like classmates. For once, it almost felt normal. But Craig’s phone buzzed. A single message appeared on the screen, unnoticed by Max: [He’s with me. Prepare the setup.]
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Chapter twenty three: Never Give Up
Kael’s grip tightened like an iron vice around Max’s leg. Before Max could react, Kael dragged him across the floor, the tiles scraping his back raw. Then, with a guttural roar, Kael swung him overhead and hurled him into the ground. The impact rattled Max’s bones, forcing the air from his lungs in a choking gasp.Dazed, Max struggled up on trembling arms. His vision swam, but Kael was already there, moving like a predator.WHAM!A fist slammed into Max’s ribs.BAM!An elbow cracked against his jaw.THUD!A knee drove into his stomach, folding him like paper.Each strike tore deeper into his body, leaving him staggering like a puppet barely holding its strings. His breaths came ragged, blood dripping down his lip, his legs unsteady.Kael sneered. “What’s wrong, boy? You slowing down?”Max’s body screamed for rest. His swollen eye barely opened, yet he refused to drop. Step after step, he forced himself forward—toward Kael.Then, with a weak grunt, he threw a punch.It barely grazed Ka
Chapter twenty two: Stun Smash
The sound of splintered wood echoed through the hall as Kael dropped the stick he’d been wielding. The weapon clattered to the floor, forgotten. His face twisted into a cold grin as he seized Max by the collar, lifting him off the ground like he weighed nothing.“Sticks are useless,” Kael sneered, his breath hot on Max’s face. “Hands are better.”Max clenched his teeth, glaring. The moment Kael loosened his grip just slightly, Max twisted, activating Blind Spot Strike—a skill meant to strike where the enemy couldn’t defend. But Kael’s reflexes were inhuman. With one arm he caught the blow, blocked it like swatting a fly, and hurled Max across the room.Max crashed into the wall, coughing. He staggered to his feet, chest burning.Kael dusted his hands like the fight was already won. “You know,” he said casually, “I did some digging on you.”Max froze.“I learned something… fascinating.” Kael’s eyes narrowed. “Your mother—Amanda Johnson. She wasn’t just anyone. She ran the Moonlight She
Chapter twenty one: The Rising Clashes
“Don’t forget our deal, Max,” Jacob muttered as they approached the half-finished construction site, his voice sharp and arrogant. “Once we’re done here, the representative position belongs to me. You were just keeping it warm.”Max tightened his grip on the metal bat and didn’t even glance at him. “Shut up and do the job.”They pushed open the loose steel door and stepped inside. The stale air reeked of dust and paint, but what caught their eyes wasn’t the smell—it was the twenty students of Swisscom High lined up in formation at the entrance.One of the guards stepped forward, a thick wooden stick in his hand. “Bloomfield trash. Leave now before you regret it.”Neither Max nor Jacob moved. The silence stretched, tense and heavy.“Did you not hear me?!” the boy yelled. He charged forward, raising the stick.“Max—” Jacob started, but before he could finish, the stick came down across his back.The crack echoed through the half-constructed floor. But Jacob didn’t even flinch. Slowly, h
Chapter 20: The Dungeon Party
Max sat on his bed with one hand pressed gently against his swollen eye while the other held the dungeon map. The glowing parchment pulsed faintly with red lines that shifted like veins, as if alive, mocking him with the quest requirements.[Quest Requirement: Minimum of Two Party Members]“Of course… figures I can’t just go solo,” Max muttered, dropping the map on his lap. “Why can’t this system let me breathe for once?”Grimm appeared in his spectral form, arms crossed and expression sly. “Because, partner, it wouldn’t be fun otherwise. Besides… you’re strong, but even you need backup.”“Backup, huh…” Max thought about his classmates. The first name that came to mind was Chris. At least Chris was loyal. Maybe he’d be willing to tag along.The next morning, Max approached Chris near the lockers. “Hey Chris, you free this weekend? I’ve got… something big. Might need your help.”Chris laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “Max, you know I’m no fighter. I’d probably faint the
Chapter 19 – The Unlikely Bodyguard
The school break the next day felt heavier than usual. Max leaned against the wall of the courtyard, staring at the ground as though the tiles themselves had answers hidden beneath them. Lois stood in front of him, hands on her hips, repeating his own words from the day before with a sharp look on her face.“So… let me get this straight,” she said slowly, raising a brow. “You lost the check, and now you have no choice but to take up my father’s offer?”Max sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah. That’s basically it. Not like I planned for it. But what else can I do?”Lois tilted her head, studying him with that mischievous spark she always had in her eyes. Then, suddenly, she leaned closer. “Max… do you own a suit?”Max blinked. “A suit? What does that have to do with—”“Never mind,” Lois cut him off with a wave of her hand, smirking. “Don’t worry about it. After school, I’ll get you one.”Max frowned. “Wait, what—”The bell rang, cutting off his question. Lois simply winked and
Chapter Eighteen – Weapon Mastery Unleashed
The streetlights flickered weakly above, casting long shadows across the deserted road. Max stood rigid, his fists clenched, glaring at the mountain of muscle in front of him. The man was built like a tank, veins bulging along his arms as if they might burst any second. His cruel smirk only deepened when he saw Max’s stance.“Look at you,” the bodybuilder sneered, his laughter booming like thunder. “Are you seriously planning on fighting me? Don’t make me laugh, kid.”Max didn’t respond. His blood was boiling, his heart pounding against his ribs so loudly it almost drowned out the man’s words. He took the first step forward, then another, and with a sharp breath, he launched a barrage of punches at the man’s chest and jaw.Thud. Thud. Thud.It was like punching a brick wall. The bodybuilder didn’t even flinch. Instead, his grin widened.“My turn.”The man’s massive fist swung with terrifying speed. Max barely had time to react before the blow connected with his side. Pain exploded thr
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